Holiday Stroll Returns to Woonsocket This Saturday

WOONSOCKET, RI—Main Street in Woonsocket is the place to be to celebrate the holiday season this Saturday, Dec. 12.

The 7th annual Main Street Holiday Stroll returns with extended hours this year running from 1 to 8 p.m. with family-friendly events planned spanning from Monument Square to Market Square, the stroll continues to grow and delight audiences of all ages.

In addition to the many eclectic shops along Woonsocket’s historic downtown Main Street, local businesses will add to the shopping experience bringing special products to sell for those last-minute gift ideas and food trucks will add to the culinary offerings. Among those joining in is Riverzedge Arts of Woonsocket, setting up an artisan pop-up shop. Strollers and seekers of distinctive gifts are invited to stop by 154 Main Street to visit the “Edge of the Stroll Gift Boutique.” This curated artisans marketplace, sponsored through the generosity of the Museum of Broadcast Technology, will be open from 2pm to 8pm, featuring unique household and apparel items from the teen-powered Print Works Studio at Riverzedge. The boutique will feature jewelry, handmade books, blown glass ornaments and other limited edition gift items for purchase.

Shop owners have extended their hours for this event and will be offering a great selection of last minute gift ideas and stocking stuffers. To encourage strollers to visit the different shops and vendors along Main Street, there will be a special scavenger hunt with a raffle for prizes from local businesses for those who complete the hunt.

Enjoy the sounds of the season with the Very Merry Dickens performing along Main Street between 2pm and 6pm, along with sounds of the Woonsocket Middle School 6th Grade Chorus, the Woonsocket Middle School Band, the Woonsocket High School Chorus and the Woonsocket High School Band. DJ Jeremy Fontaine returns this year spinning holiday tunes throughout the event at the Mullen Lot.

“The Main Street Holiday Stroll gives residents and visitors an opportunity to experience our historic downtown in a cheerful holiday environment” states Melissa Murray, a three year veteran of the Stroll Committee and owner of The Opulent Squid on Main Street. “In addition to family friendly activities many businesses will be open late for holiday shopping. I urge everyone to come out for the stroll and celebrate our city.”

New entertainment this year includes free movie screenings at River Island Park at from 5pm to 8pm including A Flintstone Family Christmas and The Smurf’s: A Christmas Carol. Also at River Island Park, NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley is hosting a light sculpture activity between 2pm and 5pm. Create your own masterpiece using string lights and add to the décor of the stroll. Nearby at the Museum of Work and Culture (42 S. Main St.), stop in for a free ornament making activity and visit the Woonsocket Historical & Preservation Society next door for refreshments and free face painting from 1pm to 5pm with Pastor James from the Firm Foundation. And if you’re looking to warm up by a fireplace, check out the new outdoor patio at Ciro’s Tavern on Cherry. They will be serving hot chocolate by their new outdoor stone fireplace.

Throughout the day at the Mullen Lot there will be a tree decorating contest with area schools participating using their handmade creations for “best in show.” Guests to the stroll can vote for their favorite with a $1 donation and enter to win that tree. All of the schools will receive half of the donations.

Also returning this year will be a coloring contest. This year’s image was created by students at Riverzedge Arts to promote a “green” holiday. After recently launching its Trash Responsibly™ program at Woonsocket’s America Recycles Day event, Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc. consulted with Riverzedge to design a green-themed coloring contest. The contest image is being made available on the stroll’s Facebook page (Main Street Holiday Stroll) as well as Riverzedge Arts. Additional copies will be available at the stroll and completed coloring sheets can be brought to the Museum of Work and Culture to be entered into a prize. One winner will receive a portable art kit.

Ushering in the Christmas spirit, Santa will arrive to Main Street’s mini-park beside City Hall aboard a fire truck at 5pm for the city’s tree lighting led by city officials. The mini-park will also feature photo opportunities with holiday cutouts designed by NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley. Visitors are encouraged to take photos and post to social media using the hashtag #stroll02895. Visitors are also encouraged to bring new unwrapped toys for children under 12 to donate to the Woonsocket Police Department’s Toys for Tots drive.

Free trolley rides, sponsored by Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc. will be available at points throughout the stroll route and can also be picked up at Citizen’s Bank on Pond Street and Blackstone River Federal Credit Union on Social Street where there is additional free parking.

The Main Street Holiday Stroll is presented by the Main Street Event Planning Committee made up of government, nonprofit and business partners, in partnership with the City of Woonsocket, Woonsocket Downtown Collaborative, Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc., Neighborworks Blackstone River Valley and RIverzedge Arts. Sponsors include: Ciro’s Tavern on Cherry, Downtown Woonsocket Collaborative, CH2M, Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, Rob Roy Academy, PSV Realty, Nationwide Construction, Michael & Britte Balint and Renaissance Tattoo Studio.

For updates on the event, visit the Main Street Holiday Stroll Facebook page.